Improvement in herders



R. D. SUPER.

Y Herder.

NQ, 202,289. Patented' April 9,`1s7j8 I INVENTOR Cj* L.

.AT ToRN Evs WITN ESSES N-V'TERS, PHQTD-UTHOGRAPNER. wAsHlNGYuN. D CA UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

RICE D. SOPER, OF OWATONNA, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HERDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,289, dated April 9, 1878; application led J auuary 12, 1878.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RICE D. SOPER, of Owatonna, in the county of Steele and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and valuable Impro vement in Herders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the saine, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a front view of my herder, and Fig. 2 is a detail view thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a device for herding cattle or other stock, and to prevent them from straying, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

' The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrates my invention.

A represents a pole of any suitable dimensions, upon which are placed two yokes, constructed exactly alike, so that a description of one will answer for both.

Each yoke is composed of two rods or arms, B B, attached to sleeves or collars O O, which are placed upon the pole A. Each rod or arm B is at its outer end provided with a head, b, to prevent the coupling from coming off.

The coupling is composed of two plates or metal straps, D D', formed with tubes d d at their ends, to pass over the arms B, and their inner ends overlapping each other.

The strap D is at its outer or free end provided with a staple, e, to pass through one of several holes, a; made in the inner end of the strap D'. Into this staple is placed the hooked end of a rod or key, f, the other end of which is placed over a staple, h, projecting from the inner end of the strap D through an elongated slot, y, in the strap D', and the rod or key then fastened by a split ring, t', or other suitable means.

It will readily be seen that by these means the distance between the rods or arms B B can be easily changed, as required, to regulate the width of the bow or yoke.

In the arms B are fastened pins m, for regulating in length the capacity of the bow. This is accomplished by passing said pins through suitable perforations in said arms at the altitude required.

The collars C C are provided with slots u, and pins a are passed through the same into the pole A, serving to hold the collars or bands on the pole, to regulate the capacity of the bow in width, and to give play to allow the animal to feed and to keep the yoke from turning.

This device is intended for herding cattle or other stock, and to prevent them from straying. The yoke is put on with the pole either on top or at the bottom, the-heads being placed in opposite directions, the bows being regulated by means of the devices, as described. This will. prevent the animals from straying when turned out to graze; and as they face in opposite directions their locomotion is necessarily much abbreviated, and While enabling the stock to feed will keep them within a very narrow range.

' IVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of pole A, slotted bands C, secured by pins a, the arms B, the straps D D', substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The arms B B, with slotted bands C C and heads b b, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The straps D D', with tubes d d, staples e h, key f, and fastening device t', in combination with the arms B B, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

DAvin B. JoHNsoN, THos. M. GRANT. 

